Kathmandu. A criminal network that looks like the story of a Hollywood movie has been challenging security agencies around the world for decades. The Pink Panthers, known as the Pink Panthers, are no ordinary group of thieves.
The network, which has some 800 members, is based in the former Yugoslavia, mainly Serbia and Montenegro. They have used the military discipline and tactics they learned during the war to steal jewelry.
Military-style theft
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The Pink Panthers’ steals are known for their exceptional speed and planning. Sometimes they complete the theft in less than 60 seconds. In 2007, they drove a car into a shopping mall in Dubai and fled with millions of goods. Apart from this, they also used motorcycles and speedboats to surprise the police. Another unique style of them is to ‘recce’ the shop by posing as a wealthy customer. In a 2003 burglary in London, they hid the diamonds in a box of cold cream, which was inspired by the film ‘Pink Panther’.
From artwork to diamond
The gang doesn’t just target jewelry. One of their biggest thefts was the 2008 theft of artwork in Zurich, where they stole $163 million worth of artwork by such famous artists as Cézanne, Monet and Van Gogh. In addition, they stole $30 million worth of royal jewelry in Tokyo and 1.7 million pounds in Venice. In 2022 alone, they stole $10 million worth of diamonds and sapphires from an art fair, showing that their goals are constantly changing.
Why so cunning?
Interpol has launched a special campaign called ‘Project Pink Panthers’ to catch the Pink Panthers. Despite this, there are a few reasons why this gang has not been completely controlled.
Organizational Model: They do not have a single ‘kingpin’, but rather work with small, independent cells.
Violent Escape Style: Gang members also use violent methods to escape from prison. Many members have managed to escape from prisons in Europe.
Re-Cutting TAG_CLOSE_span_22 of Jewelry: Stolen diamonds are quickly re-cut and polished and sold on the black market in Antwerp, making it almost impossible to get them back.
The gang, which has amassed more than $500 million in more than 370 thefts in more than 35 countries over the past two decades, continues to be a headache for the world’s security agencies. The story of their theft is so dramatic that many documentaries and books have been inspired by it.
